Reunions and Partings
by Litwolf
Summary: Draco and Bowen's last few minutes of the movie take a spiritual turn for the betterSpoilers for the 2nd movielast chapter up sorry for the delay
1. Peace at Last

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original Dragonheart characters. I do however, own Tara, Delcor, Mira, and Kirali  
  
Litwolf689's authors note: Wow, I can't believe that I'm actually getting a chance to write this story. @_@ I have so many ideas running around in my head but not enough time to write them all down. Though this is going to be a one-shot fan fic, it is going to have two chapters... is that possible? Oh well, I hope you enjoy it! Please review!  
  
New authors note: well I hope all of you out there are happy now, because I changed the names. Many people did not like the names because they were too human, so I changed them. I kept the name Tara but I changed the others. I used the human names because I have a terrible time coming up with names so I just use human ones or borrow them from another author. Thanks to my friend, Prince Tin Lizzy, for helping me come up with the names. I hope you enjoy this new version with the new names. Enjoy!!!  
  
"Character Speaking"  
  
~~~ Change of POV (Point of View) ~~~ ^*^* Change of Scene *^*^  
  
Reunions and Partings Chapter 1: Peace at Last By Litwolf689  
  
Draco struggled to get the chains off of him. He finally collapsed after going a straight hour of fighting the chains. He lay on the floor and angled his head, trying to get some glimpse of starry night sky.  
  
As he did, Draco could not help but let memories of his past float up to him...  
  
~~~ Draco's POV ~~~  
  
Memories of my past flashed before my eyes...  
  
I saw the cave where I had been born and where I lived with my mother Mira, my father Delcor, and my younger sister Kirali; the cave where I had met Bowen. I saw days where Kirali and I played in the waterfall and when we lay beside our mother while our father told us stories.  
  
Then, I saw the time where my life had been destroyed. I had been out playing with friends and had stayed out later than I had promised my parents. As I approached the cave, a horrible smell floated out to me... the smell of my family's blood.  
  
I charged in and found two dozen human hunters and the bodies of my mother, father, and sister. Mad with grief, I killed all the humans.  
  
After that, I buried the bodies of my family and then stayed in that cave for years. I only went out to hunt. My friends came down and tried to help me but I refused to leave. I had been so wrapped up in my sorrow, thinking it was my fault.  
  
Finally, my friends just shoved me out of my cave. They shoved me into the sky. I flapped my wings but was surprised when I realized I had forgotten how to fly. After a few more tries, however, I finally got the hang of it and soon, I was flying and having a great time with my friends again.  
  
They told me my family would not have wanted me to wallow in my sorrow forever, but to live my life to the fullest.  
  
And I realized that they were right.  
  
A few years after that, I was hanging with my friends when we saw some female dragons. As we talked and got to know the females, my eye kept landing on one female... and I could not help but realize that she kept looking my way too.  
  
I did not follow her, though. I was still afraid to get close to another dragon and then lose them.  
  
But, she followed me.  
  
After I had said good bye to my friends and settled down into my cave, I heard something outside. I figured it was some animal and ignored it. But, she called out to me.  
  
I tried to get her to leave, but, no matter how many times I shouted at her or just plain ignored her, the female would not leave. When I went out the next morning, however, she was gone.  
  
After that, every night she came around. She would talk to me, she would sing, sometimes she would do nothing but sit out there and I could feel her eyes prying into the cave. Every morning, she would be gone.  
  
Finally, a terrible rain storm came one night. I thought she would not come, but she did. I could not bear the thought of her being out there, alone and getting soaked by the cold rain, so I called her in.  
  
The female had come in with a triumphant smile on her face as she shook the water off her.  
  
I got her name that night... Tara.  
  
We rarely left each other's sides after that night. We talked, we hunted, we swam, we flew, we would lay in the grass and watch the clouds or stars, we did everything together.  
  
Then, one night, Tara came into heat. I'll never forget that night... the night Tara and I became mates.  
  
She officially moved into the cave with me after that. We were together for many, many years.  
  
And then... it happened.  
  
Tara wanted me to go out and hunt for both of us. I was surprised because she loved to go outside and now, she would often just lie in the cave. She said she was a little tired so I left. I found some food and brought it back to her.  
  
It was just like the first time.  
  
I was approaching the cave and I smelled blood. I immediately recognized it... it was Tara's.  
  
I raced as fast as I could back to the cave and the hunters were there again and Tara was dead. Like the last time, I killed them all and then buried Tara near my family.  
  
Like last time, I stayed in the cave for years. But, this time, it was not my friends that got me out of the cave. It was the fact that dragons had started to go extinct.  
  
This terrified me. I was scared that all my friends and other dragons were going to die just like my family and mate had. I did what the other dragons were doing, I mated with as many other dragons as possible in hopes of making eggs. I also tired to unite dragons and humans by giving half of my heart to a dying prince.  
  
But, neither of these worked. The prince grew into an evil and cruel king. He only made things worse. Males and females were also being killed off by knights. Eggs were smashed. It took several years for a female to produce an egg and then even more years after that for the egg to hatch. We were being killed off faster than we could reproduce. Before I knew it, the last female had been killed and I was the last dragon in the world.  
  
And then, I had met Bowen.  
  
My thoughts were interrupted by noise coming from above me. From the shouts and grunts, I knew it was Bowen and Enion.  
  
"Bowen!" I shouted, trying to draw his attention. I could not see anything but I could hear the sounds of Enion and Bowen's fight.  
  
I heard Kara come to the top of the tower and give Bowen a new weapon.  
  
I heard Enion shout, "Fool, I'm immortal."  
  
I heard Bowen strike the wooden poles.  
  
I heard Enion's shout of surprise, then, I heard the sound of Enion hitting and breaking the floor and landing in water.  
  
I heard Bowen's shout of surprise as he, too, fell.  
  
I heard his quick battle with a guard.  
  
Above me, the dragon slayer that had been keeping watch over me, shouted something in a different language and raise his bow. Knowing Bowen could not dodge it, I blew fire down ward. As I had guessed, the ball of flame jumped from the ground to the dragon slayer. The dragon slayer shouted and then fell from the tower.  
  
Bowen ran to me and started to undo the chain that held down my head.  
  
"Now, its you, Bowen," I said as the chain came loose. "Its you that has to do it!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Bowen asked, as he moved to lift the heavy chain that held down my head. He acted like he did not know what I meant, but, I knew he was trying to avoid the inevitable.  
  
"As the heart binds Enion to me in life, it binds us in death," I said, desperate to make him understand.  
  
"That's not true!" Bowen said between breaths as he lifted the heavy chain from my head.  
  
"You've seen that it is!" I shouted as I ripped a chain that had been holding down my right fore claw. "Through the heart we share each others pains and powers, but in my half beats the life source! For Enion to die, I must die!"  
  
"Enion is dead," the Knight of the Old Code said as he threw the ax he had been holding to the ground.  
  
"He lives!" I shouted, nearly growling in frustration.  
  
Bowen walked back towards my head. "It doesn't matter," he said quietly. "Don't you hear it? Our rebels have stormed the castle. Alive or dead, Enion's beaten! We've won!"  
  
"You will never win until Enion's evil is destroyed and to do that you must destroy me!" I growled, annoyed with his stubbornness.  
  
"No," Bowen whispered.  
  
"Once you swore your sword and service were mine," I said, raising myself up as high as the restraining chains would allow. "To call when I had need of you, to ask what I would of you. I hold you to your vow, Knight!"  
  
I turned to look down the dark corridor near us when I heard the sound of foot steps and felt the feeling in my heart that Enion was growing closer.  
  
"He's coming," I said, lowering my voice to just above a whisper. "Coming to stop you. Strike before its too late!"  
  
Bowen picked up his ax and turned towards the sound of foot steps. Kara stepped out of the shadows. She looked into the hole where Enion had fallen. She looked up at us and shook her head, signaling that Enion was not there. Bowen turned to look at me.  
  
"You are the last," Bowen whispered.  
  
"My time is over. Strike!" I shouted, now not caring who heard me.  
  
"You are my friend," he said as he approached my head again.  
  
"Then as my friend, strike please!" I roared, desperate to make him understand.  
  
He turned away from me. "I can't," the knight said as he walked away from me.  
  
"Then I will make you," I said, as I turned to my last resort.  
  
I struck out at him as I roared as loud as I could. He ducked with a shout of surprise, rolled, and then stood and faced me.  
  
"Fight back, Dragon Slayer!" I said, trying to make him attack me out of anger and fear. "Defend your self!"  
  
I sucked in my breath and shot twin jets of fire through my nose. The lines of fire went on either side of Bowen, which was my intention. Bowen did nothing but stood and watched me.  
  
As I ceased my fire, Brother Gilbert entered through the door at the top of a set of stairs. He looked down at us in surprise, but we ignored him.  
  
Bowen looked me straight in the eye and then threw down the ax Kara had given him.  
  
"Pick it up!" I shouted.  
  
A gasp from the other side of the courtyard drew both my attention and Bowen's from our fight.  
  
Enion stood behind Kara, a sword to her throat. Bowen moved toward them, but stopped when Enion shouted, "Move and she dies!" Brother Gilbert picked up his quiver for an arrow but found that it was empty. Enion laughed.  
  
Not knowing what else to do, I scratched my wrist as hard as I could, drawing blood. I never was very sure what Draco was doing in that part of the movie Enion yelled and clutched his wrist, dropping the sword and letting go of Kara, who ran down the steps.  
  
Angry and desperate, Enion grab a dagger from his belt and ran at Bowen and me.  
  
At that moment, time seemed to slow and I could suddenly hear my heart pounding in my ears.  
  
Brother Gilbert and Kara looked on helplessly as Enion ran at us.  
  
Bowen picked up his ax. He looked at Enion and then turned to me. I stared at him and I could see many emotions running through his eyes: horror, sadness, realization, and understanding.  
  
He turned back to the evil king and watched for a few seconds as his former pupil ran at him with a dagger.  
  
As Bowen turned back to me, I raised up the scales that covered and protected my half heart, allowing Bowen a easy target.  
  
He turned back to Enion one last time. Enion got within eight feet of Bowen when he raised the hand that held the dagger, ready to strike his old mentor.  
  
Bowen looked at me again. As Enion closed the space between them, Bowen raised the ax and threw it at me.  
  
The ax moved slowly forward on its fateful path, right towards my heart. It was five feet away from me and I wished it would hurry up, so all this could be over...  
  
Four feet...  
  
Then, I suddenly wished I could stop the ax. That I could stay here with Bowen, Kara, and Brother Gilbert and help them rebuild the kingdom...  
  
Three feet...  
  
But I knew there was nothing I could do to stop it...  
  
Two feet...  
  
Nor did a part of me want to stop it, for I knew that unless I died, Enion would live forever and cause everyone misery and pain...  
  
One foot...  
  
As the ax drew closer to its target, I silently said my final farewells to Bowen, Brother Gilbert, and Kara. I knew that I would be able to watch them from the Dragon Heaven, if that is where I went, but I would never be able to communicate with them again... ever...  
  
Zero feet...  
  
As the ax passed through the thin layer of skin over my heart, I suddenly had the feeling that I was being pulled upward. I looked down to see that everything and everyone down in the castle was falling away from me and had stopped moving.  
  
Though I did not know where I was going, I felt a feeling of safety pass through me. I closed my eyes and allowed my self to be taken to where ever I was going...  
  
^*^*^*^*^  
  
The sound of a pounding waterfall woke me. I opened my eyes and looked around my surroundings.  
  
I was in a cave. The mouth of the cave was hidden by a waterfall from the outside. My eyes widened as I realized I knew this cave very well. It was the cave where I had lived with my family; where Tara and I had lived; where I had met Bowen.  
  
I spun around, gasping at each thing in the cave that I noticed. The huge rock formation Kirali and I loved to play on; the small lake where my family and I had played, swam, drank, and cleaned from; the huge flat rock that had been big enough for my whole family to sleep on; the tunnel that led even father into the cave; the-  
  
I did a double take back to the sleeping rock. I could not believe my eyes, for there, laying comfortably on the rock, was my family.  
  
I could not believe it at first. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was not seeing things but they were still there. They look just like they had looked the day they died.  
  
My mother, Mira, was lay comfortably on her side. Her green-brown scales glinted in the light coming from the mouth of the cave. Her dark green eyes stared at me, with a look of happiness and joy.  
  
My father, Delcor, sat on his back legs behind my mother. His dark scales made him barely visible against the dark shadows from the back of the cave. His dark brown eyes held that familiar firmness I had seen every day of my childhood, but, they still held the tenderness that always appeared when he looked at his family.  
  
My sister, Kirali, was standing, but crouched so that her back legs stood tall and her front legs were on the ground with her heading hanging over them. I recognized the position instantly: she wanted to play. Her light green scales still had the softness of a very young dragon. Her surprisingly yellow-green eyes held a playful gaze fixed on me.  
  
I started at them for a few seconds before running toward them as I shouted, "Mom! Dad! Kirali!" As I ran to them, I realized that I was young again. I was at the age that I had been when Tara had been killed.  
  
I first reached Kirali. As I approached, she raised herself onto her back legs and let out a mock roar. I mimicked it before jumping onto her a pinning her down. She gave a small growl as she tried to knock me off.  
  
Being careful, so as not to hurt her, I rolled so she was on top of me. Then I rolled again so I was pinning her down again, but, this time, I jumped off and then ran to my father.  
  
When I reached him, he leaned down to meet me. He rubbed his head against mine. His wings closed around me in a dragon hug. I smiled at him as he let me go and ran to my mother.  
  
I walked up to my mom and stated to rub against her, enjoying her warmth. She smiled at me. "Nice to see you, too, my son," she said. I responded by giving a 1/2 growl, 1/2 purr.  
  
I backed away from her and looked at my family. "What are you guys doing here?" I asked. "I thought you had died."  
  
My father smiled at me. "We are dead." He said.  
  
Kirali jumped toward me. "We just came down to say hi," my sister said in a cheerful voice.  
  
"We came to do more than that," Mira said to Kirali. The younger female looked puzzled for a minute before a look of understanding appeared on her face. She murmured "Oh yeah" as she lay down by our mother.  
  
"We have come to tell you something important, Draco," Delcor said in a serious tone, his need to get right down to business very familiar to me.  
  
My mother gave a small smile. "I'm surprised that mortal was able to guess your name right."  
  
I nodded in agreement. "I was surprised too," I said, suddenly growing sad as I thought about what was happening at the castle. My family seemed to read my expression.  
  
"That's what we came to talk to you about," Kirali replied as her tail swung from side to side in an impatient gesture.  
  
I hung my head. "I have failed," I said sadly. "I tired to bring humans and dragons together and tried to save my race. But, I have only made things worse. Now, I'll never get into the Dragon Heaven."  
  
My mother laughed. "No, your wrong," she said. "You have actually done quite the opposite." I looked up at her, confusion in my eyes.  
  
My father growled at her. "We are not to tell him," he said in a stern voice. "That is for another to say." My mother sighed. "I know, I know."  
  
I just looked at them in confusion. Kirali stood and jumped toward me.  
  
"Let me explain," she said in a no-nonsense tone. "We just came to prepare you for what your are about to see and hear."  
  
"And what would that be?" I asked.  
  
Kirali opened her mouth but Delcor suddenly reached out with his clawed hand and pulled her back to him and Mira. "We can't say," he growled.  
  
"You'll have to hear it for yourself my son," my mother said gently. "We just came to tell you that we love you and we'll see you soon."  
  
My family started to glow and I suddenly knew that they were leaving. "Wait!" I shouted as I ran toward them.  
  
"Its okay, Draco," Kirali said. "Its time we left."  
  
"We told you what we needed to say," my mother agreed. "We can now go."  
  
"But, but," I could not stop stuttering.  
  
My father smiled at me. "Don't worry son," he said. "We will see you very soon and she will tell you what else you need to know."  
  
The glow around my family started to increase, so much that I could barley see them.  
  
"Wait!" I cried again. "Who is she? When will I see you again?"  
  
"Just be patient," Mira, Delcor, and Kirali all said to me.  
  
Their bodies shined brightly before disappearing. I sighed as I looked at the empty space where my family had lay. Another form had started to glow in the spot where they had been. I sighed again as I watched the glow take form. As the form became more material, I gasped as I realized who lay in front of me. Green-brown scales, calm blue eyes, smooth wings, and that soothing smile. I could never mistake the dragon in front of me for anyone else.  
  
As the form became solid, the female before me smiled. "Hello, Draco," she said in her cool comforting and familiar voice.  
  
"Tara," I whispered as I stepped toward my mate. "Is it really you?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, its me," she said. In an instant, I was by her side. I gave her a quick sniff, to be sure it was her. When I was positive it was my mate sitting in front of me, I rubbed my head against hers. She responded in the same way, giving a 1/2 growl, 1/2 purr at the same time.  
  
"Oh god, Tara," I whispered as old emotions I had not felt for so many years came rushing back at me. "I have missed you so much."  
  
"I missed you too, Draco," she said, her eyes closed.  
  
"I'm so sorry for what happened," I said. I began to say more but Tara held a clawed finger to my lips.  
  
"Shh," Tara said, her soft, soothing voice music to my ears. "Don't dwell on the past when we can look toward the bright future."  
  
"What future?" I asked as sadness welled in me, knowing that once I was gone, there would be no dragons left. "Once I leave, what future can any dragon look forward to when there will be none left? I can't even look forward to my own future because, with all I have done, there is no way I will be let into the Dragon Heaven."  
  
At this, Tara laughed. I was happy, angry, and sad at this. I was happy because I loved her laugh so much and it was good to hear it again. I was sad and angry, though, because I did not understand what could be so funny at a time like this.  
  
"What is so funny?" I asked not being able to keep some of my anger and frustration out of my voice.  
  
"You," my mate said with a smile on her face.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked, my anger leaving me for confusion.  
  
"Your wrong on both accounts," Tara said, her eyes sparkling. I only continued to stare at her in confusion. Her smile grew even more. "I'll answer your last fault first. Of course your going to get into the Dragon Heaven."  
  
"How can I?" I asked in frustration  
  
"You think that because of everything you have done that you won't get to the Dragon Heaven but you will," she said. "Everything you have done has brought humans and dragons closer together. You awoke the bond that had been fading between our two races when you shared your heart with that dying prince. You made the humans realize how few of us there are left in the world and they will now try to save our race. That's why you will get into the Dragon Heaven"  
  
"How few of us there are?" I said, still very confused. "Try none."  
  
Tara looked at me with a look of tenderness and love in her eyes. "That's the other way your wrong," she whispered to me. "There was something I never got a chance to tell you because I died."  
  
"What's that?" I asked, my voice a whisper too.  
  
My mate leaned forward so that she could whisper in my ear. "What I never got a chance to tell you was," she said, unable to keep the excitement from her voice. "Was that, before I died, I was able to produce an egg."  
  
My voice caught in my throat. "What?" I said, my voice strained because of the surprise and shock I felt. "Are you serious?"  
  
Tara drew back, looked me in the eye, and nodded.  
  
My reaction surprised even me. I stood on my back legs and let out a huge roar. I let some fire out of my nose too, unable to keep the happiness and excitement I felt in check.  
  
Tara just lay on the floor beneath me. She laughed and smiled at my actions. Hearing her laugh, I came down on all four feet and turned my attention to her.  
  
I lay down next to her, folded my wing over her, and rubbed my head against hers. "Oh, Tara," I whispered. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I wanted to be sure the egg would hatch," she said. "That's why the hunters caught me. I had place the egg in the tunnel over there." She pointed to the tunnel that led deeper into the cave. "I had gone to check on it and when I came out, they killed me."  
  
As I remembered the scene that I had returned to that day, I could not stop the growl that rose in my throat. Tara smiled at me and placed her clawed hand over mine. "Draco," she said in a soft soothing voice. "That was in the past. There is nothing we can do now. We must look to the future."  
  
I looked at my mate. "Tell me, Tara," I asked. "You seem to know so much about what is to come. Tell me, will our child have a happy life?"  
  
There are spoilers for the 2nd movie here so skip down a little if you don't want me to spoil the story for you  
  
Tara thought for a moment and then turned her head to me and said, "Yes, he will. He will live the very first years of his life hidden in the basement of a monastery. Then, a young stable boy will find him and will take him to the outside world. He will then learn how to hide among the rocks, fly, and breathe fire and ice.  
  
"It will be hard for our son though, for humans are hunting for him. Some want to kill him but only to protect him from a prophecy that says a dragon will be corrupted by evil and will kill everyone. The prophecy is actually referring to a dragon that has taken an human form. When he turns evil and takes a dragon shape again, our son will beat him. The young stable boy, who tried to help with the fight will be greatly injured. However, our son will give half his heart to save the boy.  
  
"Later in life, he will find a small group of dragons that were chased from their home across the sea. With the group of dragons, the dragon population will slowly but surely start to grow again."  
  
Okay, people who are skipping can start to read here now and I made that last part up  
  
I let this information sink into my mind. "What is our son's name?"  
  
"His name will be Drake."  
  
I nodded but something still puzzled me. I turned to Tara. "If the egg is here, in the cave, how will he live in monastery?"  
  
"That was the other part I must tell you," the beautiful female beside me said. "You must tell the Knight of the Old Code, Bowen, to bring the egg to the monk, Brother Gilbert's monastery."  
  
I laughed. "How am I to do that," I asked. "When back at the castle, I am in the process of dying."  
  
"Though very few have ever seen it, when dragons die, their body becomes a ball of light, like a star. It then floats up and joins with the dragon constellation. As it joins, it is possible for the dragon that just passed away to be able to communicate with a living creature on Earth.  
  
"When you die, you will find yourself at the gates of the Dragon Heaven. Another dragon will be there to greet you and will ask if you want to communicate with anyone one last time. You need to tell him that you wish to speak with Bowen, the Knight of the Old Code. He will send Bowen and you to this cave. You must lead Bowen back to where the egg is and tell him that in twenty years, he must return to this cave, collect the egg, and bring it to the monastery. You must also tell him what our son's name is. He must tell the monks at the monastery to hide the egg in the basement and when it hatches, to not let Drake out."  
  
I nodded to show I understood, but I was still very worried. Tara must have seen my worry for she said, "Don't worry, Draco. If you tell Bowen everything I told you to tell him, then everything will be all right."  
  
We sat in silence for a few moments before Tara suddenly stood. "We must part now," she said.  
  
"Now!?" I cried. "When we have only now found each other after years apart?"  
  
Tara gave me a gentle smile. "Don't worry, Draco," she said. "After you deliver the message to Bowen, we will be able to spend the rest of eternity together."  
  
I smiled and rubbed myself against her one last time. "I love you, Tara."  
  
"I love you, too, Draco."  
  
She then stepped back from me. "Do you remember what you must tell Bowen?"  
  
I quickly ran through it in my mind before I nodded. Tara stepped toward me again. "Then its time to go. Close your eyes."  
  
I did as she told me to and felt her warm breath on my face. I felt that familiar pulling sensation and then I heard Tara say, "We will meet again soon, my mate."  
  
I could not answer her so I simply let myself be pulled back to the castle and the present.  
  
^*^*^*^*^  
  
I opened my eyes and found myself back at the castle again. I looked down to see the ax entering my heart. As it pierced my heart, I let out a growl of pain and doubled over.  
  
I looked up as I heard Bowen and Enion's shouts. As Enion reached Bowen, he stumbled because he too had felt the pain of our shared heart being split in half.  
  
Bowen easily flipped Enion over and threw him to the ground. He took the dagger and raised it to strike, but Enion took a few deep ragged breaths before closing his eyes and dying.  
  
Bowen stared in shock at the dead king and then looked up at me. As he did so, the pain in my breast suddenly stopped. I felt as if a huge weight had just been lifted from my shoulders. I felt my heart slowing down...  
  
Bowen looked at me in disbelief. I gave him a nod and a reassuring smile. He shook his head but I could barley see it... everything was going blurry and dark...  
  
As I laid my head down and closed my eyes for the last time, one final thought went through my mind...  
  
...Now, there could be peace at last...  
  
^*^*^*^  
  
Litwolf689's end note: So how was it? Good, bad, wonderful, terrible? Please review and tell me how it was! Chapter 2 will hopefully be up soon but I can't guarantee it. I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!!! Thanks!!!  
  
^-^ ^-^ ^-^ ^-^  
  
Anyway, have a great day and please review! Thanks!!!  
  
New author's end note: the 2nd chapter is not really coming along. I was hoping it would be up sooner but its not... however, we have been getting a lot of snow days where I live so I'm going to try and work on it as much as I can today.  
  
Thanks for reading my story!!! Thanks!!! ^-^ 


	2. Draco's Final GoodBye

Litwolf689's author's note: Hello everyone! I am SOOOOOO sorry that it took me so many months to put this chapter up. Many things beyond my control caused me to not update. But on this beautiful day in summer, I got the inspiration to write this chapter and finish this story. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, supported, and helped with my story. I would not have been able to do this without all of you. Thanks so much! Now here is the next, but not last chapter of this ex-one-shot fanfic.  
  
Reunions and Partings Chapter 2: Draco's Final Farewell By Litwolf689  
  
Bowen's POV   
  
I looked down in horror and disbelief at Draco's still body. I could not believe it. Draco, the last dragon and one of my few true friends, was dead... dead by my own hands, by my own blade. I knew it was what Draco had wanted me to do but I had not wanted to do it.  
  
I heard Kara gasp from the other side of the courtyard and Brother Gilbert murmur a soft prayer. They were the only other people in this world that understood the pain I was going through.  
  
I looked down at Enion. I cursed myself for ever thinking that this boy could carry on the Old Code. He had caused so much pain and suffering to both humans and dragons alike.  
  
And now, all the dragons were dead... gone... forever  
  
I heard the door from the other side of the courtyard open and when I turned, I saw that it was the rebels from Kara's village. They charged in, ready for more battle but stopped and slowed when they saw Draco's dead body. They started to come closer, all of them staring at the dead dragon.  
  
I looked at Draco again and dropped my axe. I walked toward his giant head and dropped to my knees.  
  
While the peasants watched in silence, I placed my hand on Draco's head and sighed. "Oh, Draco," I said, my voice just above a whisper. "Without you, what do we do? Where do we turn?"  
  
As I sat staring at my friend, his body suddenly turned into a swarm of thousands of golden lights. The chains that had been holding Draco down fell to the ground with a loud crash. The peasants gave a sudden gasp and backed away.  
  
The globes of light hovered in front of me. I felt a warm breath on my face and knew it was Draco's. I raised my hand to my cheek when I felt his head rub against mine.  
  
"To the stars, Bowen," Draco's voice echoed around the courtyard. "To the stars."  
  
The glowing spheres started to move. They were floating up towards the sky and as they moved, they merged and formed what looked like a new star.  
  
As the star flew towards the sky, I stood and walked toward the other rebels. They were in awe as well, and most of them were crying. When I felt moisture on my cheek, I realized that I was crying too.  
  
The gold star flew until it was in the center of the dragon constellation, Draco. I wiped a few tears from my eyes as I remembered the night I had given Draco his name.  
  
The stars of the constellation suddenly moved toward Draco's star. A pulling sensation touched me. I turned around, trying to see who was pulling at me. As the castle and the people inside started to shrink before my eyes, I realized that I was being pulled away from the castle.  
  
I struggled against the unseen force, a sudden fear striking me. I felt a heaviness come over me. Within a moment, I surrendered to the approaching darkness.  
  
When I opened my eyes, I was face to face with a huge rock wall. I sat up and looked around. I was in a cave. That puzzled me. How in the world did I get in a cave?  
  
I stood up, looking around. The cave look familiar but I could not place it in my mind. I turned towards the opening, where a waterfall hid the entrance to the cave from sight, and started to walk towards it.  
  
"Leaving so soon? Why when you just got here? I was worried it would not work in the first place and now you're leaving without even a hello or good-bye. Well, that's rude."  
  
I stopped in my tracks. The voice was Draco's.  
  
I slowly turned to see Draco sitting behind me, a large smile on his face.  
  
"D-Draco," I whispered, not believing my eyes. "Is it really you?"  
  
He nodded and replied, "Yes, Bowen, it's me."  
  
I stare at him before taking a step towards the huge dragon. "I don't understand?" I asked. "How is that possible? I thought you were dead."  
  
Draco chuckled. "I am dead, Bowen," he said. At my confused look, he stood and turned towards a passage way located at the back of the cave which I had not noticed before.  
  
He looks over his shoulder at me and says, "Come walk with me and I'll tell you what I know." Draco then walked into the passage way. Not knowing what else to do, I followed.  
  
I ran to catch up, but slowed my paced to a walk as I came to Draco's shoulder.  
  
He smiled at me, bowed his head and said, "I'm glad you decided to come with me, my friend. For there is much you need to know and little time to tell it."  
  
As I gazed up at him with a confused expression on my face, he laughed before saying, "Before I died, I was pulled to this cave by my family."  
  
"How's that possible?" I asked before I could stop myself. "They're dead, aren't they?"  
  
"Yes, they are," Draco answered. "But they were able to pull my spirit from my body for a split second so they could tell me something. That's what has happened to you, actually. I was allowed to pull your spirit from your body."  
  
"But why would you want to do that?" I asked, still very confused.  
  
Draco stopped so suddenly that I almost bump into him. Looking ahead, I see an opening in the tunnel, leading to a small cavern, with a small trail of light coming in through a hole in the wall. Inside, there is what looks like a nest of grasses, leaves, and twigs, resting in the sunlight. The vegetation seemed to be covering something, but from this distance, I could not tell was it was.  
  
"This is why," Draco said as he stepped into the cavern. I quickly followed him in. The dragon sat down across from me, on the other side of the pile of plants. He looked at me with serious eyes. "Listen to me very carefully, Bowen," he said. "The very existence of my species depends on you following exactly what I say."  
  
I open my mouth to question him, but Draco ignored me. He reached one claw down to the pile and very gently, pushed the plants aside. I stared down and saw, with a shock, that there was a large egg resting on the ground. I knew instantly who's it was, and what was developing inside the egg.  
  
"But, how?" I asked as I turned my gaze to Draco.  
  
"My mate bore this egg right before she died," Draco said, not taking his eyes off the egg. "I never knew about it until she told me just a little while ago."  
  
"What does this have to do with me?" I asked, growing, if it was possible, more confused by the second.  
  
"In twenty years, when you are near the end of your life, you must come to this cave. You must take this egg and take it Brother Gilbert's monastery. Tell them that they must hide this egg in the basement and they must keep it there forever, even when the dragon, Drake, hatches. Do you think you can do that?"  
  
I nodded. "Of course, Draco," I answered, "But why do you want your child to be locked in a basement for the rest of his life?"  
  
The deceased dragon smiled at me. "He won't," he answered me. "Something will happen that will let him out and will slowly start the dragon species over again. Right now, however, I don't have time to tell you the details. You're just going to have to trust me. Can you do that?"  
  
I nodded again. Draco breathed a sigh of relief. "Now that that's done," he said, as he stood and crossed the cavern to stand next to me. He looked down at me. "I can send you back to the castle."  
  
Before I could say or do anything, Draco leaned down so he was eye-to- eye with me. "Thank you, Bowen," he said with a grateful look on his fate. "I can't tell you how much this means to me."  
  
I smiled up at him. "Its no problem, Draco," I said. "I will do anything I can to help."  
  
"Right now though, its time to send you back to the castle." Draco replied. "Please tell Kara and Brother Gilbert that I will miss them greatly and will never forget them."  
  
I nodded. "Good-bye Draco. I'll miss you so much." Draco reached out with one claw and gripped me behind my back. He pulled me to his chest in a slightly awkward hug and then released me.  
  
"Its time for you to go back now." He said. "Close your eyes." I did as he asked and I felt his breath on my face. I felt the pulling sensation at my back again and knew I was being dragged out of the cave.  
  
I heard Draco's voice as I was pulled back echo in my ears: "Good- bye, my friend, and thank you."  
  
I silently thought back "Your welcome" even though I knew he could not hear me. I relaxed as I was pulled back to the castle.  
  
When I opened my eyes, I was back at the castle surrounded by Kara, Brother Gilbert, and the other rebels, who were all staring at the sky.  
  
I looked up just in time to see the last of the stars get pulled into the new one Draco had created. A second later, the star exploded, throwing millions of other smaller stars into the night sky. The stars took the form of a dragon, with full details. The small stars suddenly were pulled into the main stars that made up the constellation.  
  
As the constellation settled into its normal state, Draco's star, which had taken it's place at the head of the constellation, winked from high up above us. I smiled for I knew I had just witnessed Draco's final good-bye.  
  
And that's the 2nd chapter! I hope you liked it and I'm sorry it was so short. I have decided to add another chapter, in which Bowen will gather the egg and then Drake will hatch. I suddenly have the inspiration to do it so I'm going to write it right now so it does not take another 7-8 months to get this chapter out.  
  
Please read and review this chapter and the next and last chapter! I would be very grateful! Thanks for all your support and thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter! Thanks again! 


	3. The Hatching

Litwolf689's author's note - dodges random objects thrown by angry reviewers

I'm sorry! I am so sorry that it has taken another 7-8 months for this chapter! I'm sorry! My problem is that I only write when I feel inspired or the chapters suck. That's why I'd rather do one-shots and songfics instead of chapter stories. I'm a terrible author! I'm sorry!

Well, here, FINALLY, is the last chapter to Reunions and Partings. Thanks to all the reviewers for putting up with me for so long. I hope this was worth the wait!

Reunions and Partings

Chapter 3: The Hatching

By Litwolf689

20 years later

Normal POV

Bowen rode on his horse out to a spot he knew very well, a spot that he made sure he visited as often as he could: Draco's cave, where the egg of the last dragon on Earth rested.

Things had gone well for Bowen and the rest of the kingdom after Enion had been killed. All the leaders of the villages in the kingdoms assembled and talked about what needed to be done to improve the kingdom. It was decided that a council would rule from now on, not a king. When everything was talked out, old rules were changed and new ones were made, villages were fixed, prices were lowered, and other changes occurred that allowed everyone in the kingdom to be happy.

Bowen tried to stay in touch with his friends but it had been difficult. Kara was given the job of being the head of her village after the battle. She had married and had several children of her own. Brother Gilbert had also become wrapped up in his own work. He had become the head of his own monastery and had spent a great deal of time writing down his journey, the battle, and other things. He had gotten much better at writing, which was a relief to everyone.

Now, almost 20 years from the day Draco had died, Bowen approached the cave to gather the egg, just as he had promised his friend. Though he had come to the cave as often as he could to watch the egg and make sure it was alright, the knight of the Old Code felt excitement flow through him as he dismounted his horse and walked into the cave.

Bowen walked down the familiar path to the cavern at the back of the cave with only a blanket in his hand. Memories of the "dream" he had shared with Draco floated to his mind. He had told Kara and Brother Gilbert about it and they were amazed. Bowen had been worried that they would doubt him but they fully believed him, much to the knight's relief.

Bowen stopped at the entrance to the cavern. The egg lay in the center, still surrounded by the leaves and other plants that kept it warm. It also received extra warmth from the sunlight shining in from the hole in the roof.

Bowen's POV

I walked into the cavern and crouched next to the egg. As usual, I ran my hand over the egg to make sure there were no cracks and sighed in relief when I felt none.

I reached forward and grabbed the egg with two hands, one on each side. I lifted it from its nest. This was the first time it had been taken from its nest. The egg in my hands shook as the dragon inside shifted, almost as if it was surprised from the sudden movement.

I quickly wrapped the egg in the blanket I had brought with me, not wanting too much heat to escape from it. The egg stopped shaking as the unborn dragon stopped moving and settled down.

I held the egg in my arms, amazed to the fact that I was holding the only chance of dragons ever coming back to the Earth.

I smiled as I stood. "Let's go, Drake," I said to the egg as I walked out of the cavern. "Its time to take you to your new home."

Outside, I mounted my horse, turned in the direction of Brother Gilbert's monastery, and galloped away from the cave. As I rode, I completely covered the egg with the blanket to cover it from view. The last dragon egg would be worth a lot to some people and they would be willing to do anything they could to get their hands on the egg. With this thought in mind, I urged my horse to go faster and did not relax my grip on the egg until Brother Gilbert's monastery came into view.

I stopped in front of the gate and called out a greeting. The monks inside answered my call and let me in. I left my horse with a young stable boy and a monk led me to Brother Gilbert's chambers.

I entered my friend's chambers, with the egg still clutched tightly to my chest and looked around. "Brother Gilbert?" I called out when I did not see him anywhere in sight.

"Bowen? Is that you?" I heard the monk call back to me as he emerged from behind a pair of bookshelves.

I smiled. "Yes, it's me," I said. "It's been a while."

Gilbert's eyes were filled with surprise as he walked towards me. "Yes, it certainly has. It has been far too long indeed." He said as he shook my hand. "Please come in. I imagine you must have something very important to tell me because you did not even send a message of your arrival."

"You are right, Brother Gilbert. I come on the most urgent of business." I glanced around at the mess that filled the room. "I hope I have not interrupted anything important."

"No, no, nothing important at all," he assured me. "Besides, anything of any importance can surely be out aside for a moment with an old friend. Now, what kind of business brings you here?"

"Let's sit down," I said, gesturing towards a table. Gilbert nodded and sat in one chair as I sat in the other, on the opposite side of the table. I watched him for a moment before asking: "Do you remember that dream I told you and Kara about?"

Gilbert slowly nodded. "The one with Draco? How could I forget? Why do you mention that dream?"

Instead of answering his question, I simply lifted the egg from my lap and gently placed it on the table, pulling the blanket away so Gilbert could see it. Gilbert's eyes widened with surprise. "Is that Drake's egg?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly with awe. He looked up at me. "Has it been 20 years already?"

"Very nearly," I answered. "It will be in a week. I brought the egg here so you could have some time to prepare."

"I appreciate that, Bowen," the monk said as he stood up. "I will begin preparations immediately." With that, he turned and walked out the door.

I laughed at his seriousness and, with the egg in my arms; I followed him out the door.

A week later

"It's almost time," Gilbert said, his voice full of excitement as he walked towards me. I acknowledged him with a nod and turned my gaze back on the egg.

A week after I brought the egg to Gilbert, both of us were in the basement of the monastery, which was a library containing the oldest scrolls in the monks' possession. Gilbert had showed this place to me and we both agreed this would be the perfect place to hide Draco's son. With the help of the few other monks who would know what lay beneath the monastery, we had pushed some of the bookcases back to make room for the growing dragon. Candles were lit to give us light as Gilbert and I waited for the hatching to begin. We had also drawn back the curtains of a window to allow us a view of Draco's constellation.

The egg now lay in the nest of blankets, which, thought huge now, was big enough to allow a full-grown dragon to lay down comfortably. As Gilbert sat down next to me, the egg started to shake. Gilbert held his breath, as did I as a single crack formed on one side of the egg. From inside came a low growling sound.

"Come on," I whispered as another crack appeared in the egg. "Come on, Drake." The egg continued to shake and cracks kept forming. The growling sound turned into a high-pitched chirping sound.

From inside, the dragon smashed against the egg and a piece came off from the top. The small dragon peeked his head out of the top and took his first breath. He cried out. Drake blinked in the blinding light and looked at his new surroundings.

The monk reached forward to lift the dragon out of his containment but I held him back. Shaking my head, I said, "He must do this on his own."

Almost as if he realized he would not get help, the dragon started to rock against egg. We could hear his tiny claws scratching at the inside of the egg, trying to free himself.

The egg wall that kept Drake back from the world finally gave way to his claws. The egg broke into pieces as the hatchling came tumbling out. Drake lifted his head and began to cry again. I was amazed. I was amazed that this tiny new life was the only hope the dragon race had. I could not believe a whole race's fate had fallen on this small creature's shoulders.

He was lighter in color than Draco, which I assumed he got from his mother. Drake had his father's dark eyes, which looked up at us expectantly. His tail lashed back and forth and his small wings opened and closed, showing his irritation. His claws, which had been sharp enough to break through the shell of his egg, dug into the blankets that surrounded him. Drake was about the size of a full grown cat, which was bigger than I had expected him to be.

As Brother Gilbert and I continued to watch him, Drake opened his mouth and gave another pleading cry. Shaken from our daze, I picked up a spare blanket and reached toward Drake. I hesitated a moment, worried that he might attack me. The hatchling, however, did not seem to mind me as I gently placed the blanket over the dragon's back. Gripping him on his sides, I lifted Drake and placed him on my lap.

Drake gave a contented sigh as I wiped the liquid of the egg from him. Gilbert moved closer, a bottle of warmed milk in his hand. He gave me a questioning look and, at my nod, presented the bottle to Drake. The newborn leaned forward, sniffing it. Upon realizing what it was, he grabbed the nipple with his mouth and happily drank.

Gilbert smiled at me. "I can't believe he's finally here," he whispered.

I nodded my agreement. Taking the bottle from the monk's hand, I stood and walked to the window with Drake, holding him like you would hold a cat. As I stood at the window, I searched the sky. My eyes easily found Draco's constellation. "Well, Draco," I said softly. "He's finally here. Your son has arrived at last."

Drake emptied the bottle and looked up at the sky. I saw his gaze lock on his father's star and I felt a shiver run through his body. Looking down at him, the little dragon's eyes looked slightly unfocused, as though he were in a trance. A moment later, though, he shook himself awake. Drake turned his head and looked at me. There was a kind of understanding in his eyes, as though he knew the very secrets of my soul.

Drake broke his gaze away from mine. He gave a slight growl as he laid his head against my chest and instantly fell asleep.

I turned back towards Gilbert. "He will do great things, this dragon," he commented as he gazed at the sleeping hatchling. "Maybe not in our life time, but he will do great things."

I looked down at Drake. "I believe you are right," I whispered. "He will be as great as his father. He will bridge the connection between humans and dragons. He will do great things, in more ways than one."

Drake's POV

Dark…

Warm…

Soft…

Silent…

Home…

My soft liquid nest was the first thing my mind recognized as I woke up. It never changed. I felt no need to explore the world around me. My nest was the only thing I needed. It was home.

Suddenly, my warm nest that had been my home for as long as I could remember became my enemy. The darkness was lonely; I wanted light. The small safe space in which I lived became crowded; I wanted to stretch my body. The warmth that had held me for so long became an unbearable heat; I wanted to cool my scales. The silence was deafening; I wanted to hear my own voice.

I thrashed against my confinement, no longer my home but a prison. I felt my legs unfold from under me to strike out against the hard surface that caged me in. I stretched my head out and hit the top of the... well, I did not know what held me against my will, but I hit the top of it.

I growled as my claws hit the surface again and again. I smashed my head against the area that blocked me off the rest of… whatever was beyond this wall. I hit the top again and I heard something break above me. I thrust again and suddenly I was out.

Light surrounded me, blinding me. I cried out in fear and surprise. For a moment I thought to retreat back to my nest but I feared that if I did, I would be stuck down there forever. So, instead, I closed my eyes against the bright light and then opened them. I did this several times before I could keep them open long enough to see where I was.

I looked around me. The place where I was was dark, with little dots of light filling the space. Two forms rose up before me. They moved slightly and watched me. One reached toward me. I held my breath in fear before the other stopped him. The second figure spoke with the other; I could feel the vibrations in the air.

Though my head was free, the rest of my body was still imprisoned. I hit my legs, tail, and wings against walls of my cage again and again. My claws tried to find a hole in the surface to tear at and they found their mark. A piece of shell came free and my claws suddenly felt no boundary. Encouraged by my breakthrough, I continued to thrash and claw until the rest of the shell fell away.

I lay on a soft surface. I felt joy as my wings gently beat at the air around me. I dug my claws into the soft surface beneath me. My eye sight had become less blurry and now I could see more details of the figures before me. I could tell they were staring at me and I stared right back.

After a moment or two, I felt rumble in my stomach rumble. Confused, I raised my wings and moved my tail to get the attention of the two creatures that were not the same as me. When that did not work, I cried out.

The two figures turned their focus towards me. One figure grabbed something and started to move towards me. I felt fear again as the object was dropped on top of me. I found, though, that it was soft and comforting; its surface very similar from the one I laid on.

The tall creature moved toward me. My first thought was to back away, but I saw no reason to fear him; I sensed that he did not want to hurt me. I felt something grip me by my sides and lift me into the air. A second later, I felt the ground beneath my feet once more.

The creature that held me started to wipe my scales with the soft object while the other smaller creature held something out to me. I took a hesitant sniff of the thing and come instinct told me that I should accept what he offered me. So I grabbed the object in my mouth and drank the delicious liquid that was inside.

The creatures that were not like me talked some more. While I could still not understand what they were saying, the sounds they were using were becoming clearer to my ears but before I could focus completely on the sounds, I was once more lifted into the air and moving away from the smaller creature.

We approached a large opening in the wall. The creature rearranged his hold on me so I was looking up and out of the opening. As he spoke again, I finished drinking and looked up.

The black hole in front of me was cover with tiny little white lights. I gazed up at the lights in awe, wondering how they stayed up there. One light caught my eye. It seemed to dance under my gaze. I suddenly felt sleepy but my eyes would not close. I felt my mind leave my body to seek a world of dreams…

I woke to feel warmth all around me. Something was curled around my body but in a comforting way. A warm breeze beat down on my body. I lifted my head to look around me.

"Now look, you woke him up. I told you not to disturb him." The soft, affectionate, and feminine growl came from above me so I looked up.

I saw two creatures towering over me but they were not like the others I had been with a little while ago. These two were even larger and they were the same as me. I felt no fear, though; only a sense of love, safety, and kinship.

"It's not like I wanted to wake him," said a deep male voice from over me. "I just wanted to get a better look at him."

I heard the female, the one who had wrapped her tail around me give a deep sigh and turn to look at me with her blue eyes. "Hello, Drake," she whispered to me.

I gazed back at my mother, for I finally realized that she and the other dragon were my parents. My father now dipped his head to watch me too. I tried to speak to them but all that left my mouth was a high pitched squeak.

"Don't worry Drake. I know you're too young to speak and maybe even to understand," the laughter was evident in my mother's voice. "But all you have to do right now is listen. Just listen and remember" My head bobbed up and down in a nod to show I understood.

She lifted her head and started to sing. The note sounded almost like a purr that echoed against the cave walls. A moment later, my father joined her; his deep tenor a direct opposite of her higher soprano. When I picture the dragons singing, I picture it a little different than from when Draco sang to Tara in the movie, but you can think of it however you want

Along with their changing notes, came pictures to my mind. Quick flashes that showed only to my mental eye. I realized that my parents were showing me what was to come in my life, what may occur.

As my parents reached the end of the song, a final image came to my mind. A sound from above me, like that of a gate opening. I moved forward to greet my visitor, either a young skittish monk-in-training or the wise master of the monastery.

As I reached the end of the tunnel, the scent of the human came to me and I stopped. This scent was new, not that of any of my few visitors. I turned the corner to see who it was and…

That was when my mother and father's song stopped. I whined in frustration. I tried to cling to the images but they were already slipping away from me.

I cried out, wanting the larger dragons to continue the song. They both laughed and my mother ducked her head to touch her snout to mine. "Don't worry, my son. You will understand all in good time."

I turned my head to my father, hoping he would help me where my mother refused. He only shook his head and said, "Listen to your mother, Drake."

"We must leave soon." My mother said quickly, the sadness clear in her voice. She nuzzled me and I moved closer to her, not wanting this moment to end. "I'm sorry we cannot be with you when you need us most, but we will always love you. Never forget that."

She pulled away and my father quickly filled her place. His breath was warm on my scales as he leaned close. "All will be well, my son. We know that you will do what you must."

He pulled back and both my parents gazed at me for a moment longer. My mother gave a shaky side and a small nod. "Its time."

"Good-bye Drake." My parent's words echoed in my head as I drifted off to sleep once more.

I woke to find my self back in the tall man's arms. I turned my head and looked him face-to-face for the first time. His face was gentle but firm. His beard had not been shaved in a while. His eyes looked upon me with kindness. His name suddenly came to my mind. 'Bowen'

I felt myself relax as understanding filled me. This man would help me in the coming days. He would help to teach me and protect me. I knew I was safe with him.

Exhaustion suddenly swept over me. I laid my head down, growling in a way of saying good-night. Then I slept.

The End!

Well, what did you think? I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry things were a little rushed at the end.

I am so sorry that things took forever! This is why chapter stories are such a pain for me to write. I am very busy with school and Girl Scouts, so I don't have a lot of time to write and when I do have time, I have no inspiration. Sorry!

Thanks for hanging around between the long periods of no updating and thanks for taking the time to read and review my story!

THANKS AND SORRY!


End file.
